Deepening Connections with Our Elected Officials at the 30th Annual Tahoe Summit

By Tony Karwowski, NTCA president and CEO
Photo Credit: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency

The 30th annual Lake Tahoe Summit, which took place August 19 at Sand Harbor, offered another opportunity to connect with elected officials who represent our communities and advocate for the protection of Lake Tahoe.

Bi-partisan support for Lake Tahoe and the $35 million in federal appropriations requested by the “Team Tahoe” delegation earlier this year as part of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act was reaffirmed and celebrated. The funds support hazardous fuels reduction and forest health, regional water infrastructure upgrades to protect communities, aquatic invasive species prevention and control, watershed restoration and water quality, Lahontan cutthroat trout recovery, and program oversight and accountability.

By bringing elected officials together in Tahoe, the Summit also allowed for conversations about local priorities and how our business community has established and expanded opportunities for public-private partnership. In our case, the formation of the TBID and the progress that has been made as a result were points of discussion.

Meetings at our offices with Placer County officials, Congressman Kevin Kiley and Congressman Ami Bera resulted in their support of the effort to designate the Kings Beach District as an Opportunity Zone. Qualified Opportunity Zones encourage long-term investments through federal tax incentives, with approval partly contingent on a public referral process.

This type of in-person access to decision-makers is invaluable as our efforts to advance projects, programs, and initiatives that benefit our community continue. They also give us an opportunity to humanize their impact, reinforcing the critical need for this type of advocacy work.

Read more about the NTCA’s advocacy efforts in support of Placer County’s referral of the Kings Beach District as an Opportunity Zone.